EDINBURGH prop Pierre Schoeman has been banned for four weeks by a disciplinary panel after being red-carded towards the end of Saturday evening’s Guinness PRO14 defeat to Leinster for leading into a tackle with his forearm and in the process striking Daniel Leavy on the head.
The sanction means that the South African will miss Edinburgh’s next two PRO14 matches against Benetton and the Cheetahs, both at Murrayfield, as well as their opening two rounds of this year’s Champions Cup campaign against Montpellier away and Toulon at home.
The red card was shown unde rLaw 9.12, which states that: “A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm (including stiff-arm tackles), shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking.”
Schoeman faced the disciplinary panel, which convened in Neath (Wales), via a video conference. The panel, comprising of Simon Thomas (Chair), Roger Morris and Nigel Williams (all Wales), concluded that there was an act of foul play of striking the head with the forearm which carries a mid-range entry point (six weeks).
A ban of six weeks was reduced due to mitigating circumstances, the player’s acceptance of the red card and behaviour throughout the hearing. As a result, the Schoeman has be banned up until midnight on Sunday, October 21. The player was reminded of his right to appeal.